6-Day East Kazakhstan Altai Tour from Oskemen: Katon-Karagay, Bukhtarma & Berel
Oskemen6 jours
- Annulation gratuite
À propos de cette expérience
Most of Kazakhstan is steppe and desert. The far east is neither. Here the Altai mountains come down from Siberia in forested ridges of larch and cedar, rivers run clear and fast, and Belukha — the highest peak in Siberia at 4,506 metres — stands on the border. This is the Kazakhstan of beekeepers, maral deer farms and old Russian Old Believer villages, and almost no foreign visitors reach it. Six private days from Oskemen take you through the Bukhtarma lake country into Katon-Karagay national park, out to the Scythian royal tombs at Berel, and along the Austrian Road cut into the cliffs by prisoners of war.
Why you will remember this trip
Drive the shore of the Bukhtarma reservoir, an inland sea held behind a dam on the Irtysh
Enter Katon-Karagay, the largest national park in Kazakhstan, with Belukha on the skyline
Stand at the Berel burial mounds, where frozen Scythian tombs preserved horses in full harness
Travel the Austrian Road, hand-cut into the Bukhtarma gorge by First World War prisoners
Visit a maral deer farm and take the antler-bath treatment the region is known for
Taste Altai mountain honey at a working apiary, the best in Kazakhstan by a distance
Your 6 days
Day 1 — Arrive in Oskemen, the ethnography museum and the Irtysh embankment
Day 2 — The Bukhtarma reservoir shore and the Austrian Road to Katon-Karagay
Day 3 — Katon-Karagay National Park, Rakhmanov Springs and the Belukha viewpoint
Day 4 — The Berel Scythian burial mounds, a maral deer farm and an apiary
Day 5 — Return west along the Bukhtarma to Oskemen
Day 6 — Departure from Oskemen
Private from start to finish
East Kazakhstan has almost no tourist infrastructure and the distances between villages are long. A private vehicle, a guide and pre-arranged guesthouses are not a luxury here but the only practical way to travel. Your party has the vehicle to itself throughout.
Prochaines dates disponibles
Ce qui est inclus
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver for the whole itinerary
- Private English-speaking guide throughout the touring days
- 5 nights' accommodation with daily breakfast, as described in the itinerary
- Arrival and departure transfers at Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) Airport (UKK)
- All fuel, road tolls, parking and driver expenses
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle every day
- Katon-Karagay National Park permits and entrance fees
- Three nights in mountain guesthouses, including dinner and breakfast
- Maral deer farm visit and one antler-bath session
- Apiary visit with honey tasting
- Picnic lunches on the mountain days
Non inclus
- International flights to and from Oskemen
- Kazakhstan visa, where your nationality requires one
- Lunches and dinners, unless individually listed as included
- Travel and medical insurance, which we strongly recommend
- Personal expenses, laundry, minibar and telephone charges
- Gratuities for your guide and driver, which are at your discretion
Itinéraire
- 1
Arrival in Oskemen
Your driver meets you at Oskemen airport. The city sits where the Ulba joins the Irtysh and is the gateway to the whole region. East Kazakhstan Regional Museum of Ethnography — a large open-air and indoor collection covering the Kazakh, Russian and Old Believer communities of the region. The Irtysh embankment — an easy walk along the river, which runs from China through Kazakhstan into Siberia. Briefing — your guide walks you through the days ahead and what the mountain guesthouses will be like. Overnight in Oskemen.
- 2
Bukhtarma reservoir and the Austrian Road
A long and spectacular driving day east into the mountains. Bukhtarma reservoir — an artificial sea on the Irtysh, big enough that the far shore is below the horizon, with pine forest coming down to the water. The Austrian Road — a shelf road cut into the cliffs of the Bukhtarma gorge by Austrian and Hungarian prisoners of war during the First World War, still in use and still startling. Old Believer villages — a stop at one of the wooden-house settlements founded by Russians who fled the church reforms of the seventeenth century. Arrival in Katon-Karagay — the village at the entrance to the national park. Overnight in a guesthouse in Katon-Karagay.
- 3
Katon-Karagay and Belukha
A full day inside the largest national park in Kazakhstan. Rakhmanov Springs — hot radon springs beside a forest lake at 1,760 metres, used as a spa since the eighteenth century. Belukha viewpoint — the drive and short walk to the vantage over the Berel valley towards the twin summits of Belukha on the Russian border. Kokkol waterfall approach — as far along the valley as conditions allow, through larch forest. Alpine meadows — in June and July these are covered in flowers, which is why the region’s honey is what it is. Overnight in Katon-Karagay.
- 4
Berel, maral deer and Altai honey
The archaeology and the working life of the valley, in one day. Berel burial mounds — a Scythian royal necropolis where permafrost preserved organic material: a chieftain, thirteen horses in full harness with gilded griffin headdresses, and textiles that should not have survived 2,300 years. The excavation site museum — the finds and the reconstruction of the frozen tomb. Maral deer farm — Siberian red deer farmed for their antlers. The antler bath, taken in a wooden tub of the concentrate, is the local restorative and you are welcome to try it. Working apiary — Altai honey tasted straight from the frame, along with propolis and beebread. Overnight in Katon-Karagay.
- 5
Return to Oskemen
The long drive back, broken by the stops you did not have time for on the way out. Bukhtarma dam — the hydroelectric dam that created the reservoir, with the Irtysh far below. Serebryansk and the gorge — the narrowest and most dramatic section of the Austrian Road, in better light heading west. Lakeside lunch — at a spot on the reservoir shore. Arrival in Oskemen — a final dinner of Altai specialities. Overnight in Oskemen.
- 6
Departure from Oskemen
Time in the morning before the transfer. Free time — for the local market, where the honey and cedar nuts are worth carrying home. Airport transfer — to Oskemen airport for your onward flight. End of the tour.
Bon à savoir
- Difficulté
- Facile
- Guidage
- Visite guidée en anglais
- Heures de départ
- 12:00
À savoir avant de partir
- A clear copy of the passport of every traveller, at least 7 days before arrival
- Your inbound and outbound flight numbers and times, so we can meet you correctly
- Comfortable closed walking shoes; the itinerary includes uneven ground
- Sun protection: hat, sunglasses and a high-factor sunscreen
- A reasonable level of general fitness for the walking described in the itinerary
- Warm layers — Kazakhstan's temperature swings sharply between day and night
- Insect repellent and a warm jacket for mountain evenings
Conditions d'annulation
Annulation gratuite jusqu'à 14 jours avant le début de l'expérience.
- 14 jours ou plus avant : remboursement intégral
- De 7 à 13 jours avant : remboursement de 50 %
- Moins de 7 jours avant : aucun remboursement
Point de rendez-vous
Voir sur la carte
Oskemen Airport (UKK) arrivals hall
- Adresse
- Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) Airport (UKK), arrivals hall, Oskemen, 070000, KZ
- Modalités de rendez-vous
- Rendez-vous sur place
- Coordonnées
- 50.03660, 82.49420
Carte illustrative. Ouvrez-la dans Maps pour le point exact et l’itinéraire en direct.
Avis de voyageurs
Soyez parmi les premiers à donner votre avis sur cette expérience.
Questions fréquentes
Combien de temps dure cette expérience ?
Elle dure 6 jours.
Puis-je annuler cette réservation ?
Annulation gratuite jusqu'à 14 jours avant le début de l'expérience. 14 jours ou plus avant : remboursement intégral · De 7 à 13 jours avant : remboursement de 50 % · Moins de 7 jours avant : aucun remboursement
Cette expérience est-elle guidée, et dans quelle langue ?
Visite guidée en anglais
La prise en charge à l’hôtel est-elle incluse ?
Non — vous vous rendez par vos propres moyens au point de rendez-vous.
Où commence cette expérience ?
Elle commence à Oskemen Airport (UKK) arrivals hall, Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) Airport (UKK), arrivals hall, Oskemen, 070000, KZ.
À partir de 11 760 AED par personne
